City fires 2 aviation officers involved in dragging man off United flight

This video posted on social media shows a passenger on an April 9, 2017, United Airlines flight from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Ky., being removed by security. (Jayse D. Anspach)

This video posted on social media shows a passenger on an April 9, 2017, United Airlines flight from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Ky., being removed by security. (Jayse D. Anspach)

Mary WisniewskiChicago Tribune

The Chicago Department of Aviation has fired two of its officers involved in April’s widely publicized dragging of a passenger at O’Hare International Airport, according to the city’s top watchdog.

The dragging, captured on video by another passenger and spread on social media worldwide, involved Dr. David Dao, who declined to leave a United flight to make way for traveling crew members. Dao was forcibly dragged from the flight by aviation security officers, resulting in a concussion, a broken nose and the loss of two teeth. The incident prompted a lawsuit and settlement by United, as well as changes in company procedures.

An investigation by the city’s Office of Inspector General found that three aviation security officers and one aviation security sergeant “mishandled” the situation, according to the office’s third-quarter report, released Tuesday. The investigation also found that employees had made misleading statements and “deliberately removed material facts from their reports.”

Acting on the inspector general’s findings and recommendations, the Aviation Department fired the officer who “improperly escalated the incident” and the sergeant who was involved in removing facts from an employee report, the inspector general’s office said. The other officers were suspended.

The Aviation Department confirmed that a review of its policies and procedures was underway and would be complete by the first quarter of next year, the inspector general’s report said.

“As we have clearly stated, the department is taking every action in our power to ensure that an incident like this never, ever occurs again,” said aviation spokeswoman Lauren Huffman.

In July, the aviation department determined that the Chicago Police Department would be the lead responder on disturbance calls at the airport, not the unarmed aviation security officers. The city also directed that the word “police” be removed from the uniforms and vehicles of aviation security officers.

The 290-person security team is supposed to monitor access to restricted and secure areas of the airport, handle traffic control and support Chicago police and the Fire Department, according to aviation officials.

United suffered bad publicity over the dragging and pledged that it would reduce overbooking and would no longer bump customers who have already boarded, squeeze traveling crew members onto flights at the last minute or call security to eject a passenger because of an overbooking issue.

United employees also can offer up to $10,000 in compensation to entice volunteers to be bumped.

Dao’s attorney, Thomas Demetrio, who represented the injured man in the lawsuit, said in a statement: “It is unfortunate the conduct of these two City aviation employees has resulted in their losing their jobs. However, this is not a day of celebration for Dr. Dao, who is neither vindictive nor happy about Mr. Ferguson’s findings.”

Demetrio said the case should serve as a lesson" for other officers.

“Do not state something that is clearly contrary to video viewed by the world,” he said, adding that “passengers should always maintain the right to videotape mistreatment of all kinds. Our cell phones are the best deterrent to ensure mistreatment becomes a rarity.”